The Will of the Wisp
by AntarcticIcicle
Summary: Everyone knows of the strange phenomenon, Will-o-the-Wisp, but do they all know her secret? Willow has been chosen as a Guardian before, and refused to take that place. But why? When she refused, something terrible occurred. Now a couple years after, she is chosen once more by MiM. Will she take her place as a new Guardian, or stay in the shadows with a certain family member?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello people! I've been working on this story for a while and decided to publish it and see what you guys all think of it. :) Please R&R! **

****The young man cautiously walked through the cold forest with his oil lamp. He shivered every time he heard an unfamiliar sound or rustle of the leaves. It was a dark and scary place. Many stories he'd heard said that every time a man like him entered the forest, they were never seen again. Other tales had been told about why those men had never returned. It was all the fault of will-o-the-wisp. The mysterious blue orbs always hid and showed themselves at the most dangerous of times, and led travelers off the path and to their doom. But good stories had been told of this strange phenomenon too, like when a young girl lost her bow in a forest such as this one and was being chased by a vicious bear. The will-o-the-wisps had led the girl to her bow and led her out of the forest where the bear wouldn't attack.  
They were odd creatures, and many people who traveled into places like these prayed that they would never see one. The man who was walking this trail tonight had done that very thing.

He kept walking the dirt path that was littered with debris, careful not to step on any sticks or trip over a stone for fear that an animal would come and attack. A sudden crash of a tree branch sounded behind the man. He froze and slowly turned around, frightened beyond belief. His heart raced a hundred miles an hour when he saw what was perched on the branch. A blue, floating wisp.

"No..." he whispered. "It can't be..."

The wisp made a flicker of blue to motion for the man to follow it. The wave was somehow hypnotizing, and after a minute the young man followed the blue orb. He found himself growing very tired, but the wisp continued on, keeping the man hooked in some sort of trance to keep going.

It seemed like ages until the wisp finally vanished. _Oh no_...the man thought. He collapsed to the ground as he broke out of the trance and silently cursed himself for following the wretched creature. "Oh, what have I done..." he mumbled, running a hand through his coal-black hair. He lifted the ever-fading lamp, the light barely cast any glow around him since the flame was so small. "Where in the world am I?" he said aloud. A rustle in the bushes made him immediately stand up and whirl around, his eyes filled with fear and anxiety. "Who-who's there?" he asked, his voice shaking as he bent down to find a stick. A low growl sounded from behind him, making him scream and start running. "Save me, will-o!" he cried, running in any direction and not caring if he got lost.

A breeze drifted towards him from his right, and a familiar looking blue wisp appeared on his left. It motioned for him to follow.

"Thank God!" he panted, swerving to his left and hopefully out of sight and smell of the animal.

After following the wisp through the swarm of trees—but not getting into some kind of trance like before—he returned home to his family with the terrifying story.

The man stumbled inside his door, and the blue wisp re-appeared beside one of the bushes. A ribbon of turquoise light swirled around the wisp with a _whoosh_ and a tall girl seemingly in her teens appeared. She had a shirt with long sleeves that was turquoise blue and a skirt the same color. Her feet were bare, and her hair was pitch black. Her body seemed to be glowing a faint blue.

"That went well," she said in an airy, breezy voice. "One more traveler, tricked and saved."

The girl smirked before disappearing with a snap of her fingers.

**Present day, Nighttime: North Pole**

North had called the Guardians to the North Pole, as Man in Moon was about to choose a new Guardian.

"Who do you think it will be?" a winter spirit named Jack Frost asked, staring at the moonstone that was slowly rising out of the ground.

"Hopefully someone that doesn't have their brain frozen," a tall bunny—seemingly the Easter bunny—snickered.

"Oh, be quiet you two!" a fairy scolded. She had an outfit made of metallic green-blue feathers but a few gold and pink ones were mixed in as well. Her wings were flapping quite quickly, and she had an enthusiastic look on her face.

A man that seemed to be made out of sand made a sound like chimes and pictures of different people formed above his head, like he was guessing. He was the Sandman, but no one could really understand him since he didn't talk.

A stone that looked like it was made out of ice rose from the ground, and a beam of moonlight from the window shone on the crystal. A white flash of light that wasn't that bright filled the room then disappeared, and a person's body had formed and was floating above the see-through stone.

A man that looked a lot like Santa Claus—as a matter of fact, he _was_ Santa—gasped.

"I don't recognize 'er, mate." the Easter Bunny crossed his arms and studied the picture.

"I don't recognize her either, North," the fairy said, confusion taking over her excited expression.

"Can you tell us who it is?" Jack Frost impatiently asked.

"She's from ancient folklore, I didn't even know she still existed!" Santa—or North, his real name—exclaimed.

"Spill, mate," the bunny said.

"It's Willow the Wisp," North said. The other's eyes widened in shock.

"You mean, the one who leads innocent people to their fate and kills them?" the fairy cried.

"She does not _kill_ people on purpose, she saves them once in awhile but yes, she does lead people to their fate and destiny," North explained.

"I've heard stories about her before, though I never knew she was an actual person," Jack said, nodding.

"She _was_ someone before she became Willow the Wisp...but that's not my story to tell anyways." North nodded to a couple of brown-haired yetis that were standing behind him. "Bring her here,"

The yetis nodded enthusiastically and one of them grabbed a sack before tossing a snow globe to the ground that exploded and turned into a magic portal. The yetis disappeared into the swirling white and purple.

"Let's hope she survives the ride," Jack snickered.

**About midnight: in the same forest**

Willow strolled through the forest as her human self; she hummed a folk song that she found very spooky. A white and purple vortex suddenly exploded to her right and she jumped back in surprise.

Three big furry animals lumbered out of the vortex and headed towards her. Willow eyed the animals, and started not to trust them when she spotted a dark red bag in one of their fists.

The big furballs edged closer and closer; Willow tensed up before one of them lunged out and grabbed her arm, tossing her into the sack. She struggled and tried to escape the bag, but nothing worked. She sighed and twiddled her thumbs before feeling the surge of a portal and then the impact of the sack being tossed to the floor.

"What the...?" Willow got to her knees and felt the bag open up and a stream of bright light shone in her eyes. She blinked one, two, three times before they adjusted. She climbed out of the bag and ran a hand through her black hair when she realized where she was.

"Willow! How good to see you again!" North boomed. Willow winced as the large man enveloped her in a huge hug.

"Uh, hi?" she said. When North let go, she saw three familiar faces and one new one. "Tooth, Sandy, and Bunny, but who're you?" She pointed towards the winter spirit.

"Jack Frost. Haven't you heard of me?" He smirked and folded his arms.

Willow recognized the name. "Yep, no worries about having to explain every little detail about yourself." She smirked back at him and knew that this guy liked to talk about himself. Only sometimes, though.

"Pity to say this, mate, but I forgot about ya," Bunny admitted.

The ecstatic Tooth Fairy nodded sheepishly.

"No harm done, friends." Willow kept smirking and then looked expectantly at North. "So why'd you need me?"

"Man in Moon chose you to become Guardian!" North exclaimed. Willow sighed and slapped a hand on her forehead.

"How many times do I have to tell you...?" she muttered.

"Wait." Jack narrowed his eyes at the wisp girl. "So you're saying that you've been chosen before, but you've never accepted?"

"You got that right, icy." Willow crossed her arms.

"Man, this girl is messed up," He muttered. "Who _doesn't_ want to be a guardian?"

"I heard that." she glared at the spirit. "And, _I_ wouldn't want to be one."

"Man in Moon chose you, Willow. You have to understand that if you don't accept, things could go wrong like last time." North looked at the girl with hope, rubbing his hands together.

"I—I don't know, North. I don't exactly like protecting people, I like to lead them into harm's way and _then_ save them at the last minute," She protested.

"Come on, it's fun," Jack said.

"Whatever."

"Do you _want_ things to go wrong like last time?" North sternly asked, his brows furrowed.

"Maybe, maybe not." She kept her voice flat so they couldn't tell her real answer.

"Oh, what am I going to do with you..." North fell deep into thought. Willow tapped her foot impatiently.

"What happened last time?" Jack asked curiously.

"I'd rather not say." Willow glared at Jack.

"Come on. Please?" he gave her his irresistible puppy dog eyes, but somehow, she resisted.

"No." Her voice sounded irritated and hinted that she wasn't gonna tell him no matter what.

"Fine!" he threw his hands up in defeat. Sandman caught her attention and made different symbols above his head. The pictures showed a scene of what had happened, so he could remind Willow.

"Sandy, please no?" she asked.

"Willow, I'm giving you five days to decide." North broke his train of thought and looked at her in the eye. "If you don't decide by then, I don't know about the disasters that may follow."

"Got it." Willow nodded, glancing at Sandy, who was frowning. "Can I go now?"

She looked at all the Guardians. Tooth was telling something to her fellow mini-fairies, Bunny was glaring at her, and Jack was looking at her curiously.

"Yes, but don't use a portal," North said, nodding.

"Okay! Bye!" Willow the Wisp left cheerfully, probably happy to go see if she could trick any other human on her way home.

She opened the doors that led out into the snow and jumped into the air, soaring into the starry night sky before turning into a blue streak of light and flying out of sight.

**hehe how did you like it? And trust me, things will get way more interesting in the next chapter. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey there people! I hope your enjoying the story, and THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS! I love you guys! You guys are so awesome!**

**This chapter is where everything gets interesting...hehe! **

**Me: Hey Jack, can you do the thing? **

**Jack Frost: Why? **

**Me: um...I'll let you throw a snowball in my face and then we can prank Bunnymund. **

**Jack Frost: You're on. AntarcticIcicle does not own any part of Rise of the Guardians. Except Willow. Okay here we go...*makes snowball* **

**Me: *talks really fast* Okay gotta run enjoy the chapter! *runs away cuz Jack is chasing me* **

As Willow arrived at her familiar 'home' in the forest, she spotted a flash of movement behind a tall, thick tree. She transformed into a small wisp and hid inside a leafy bush to inspect more closely. She peered out from her hiding place and saw two Nightmares, neighing and snorting softly to each other.

Willow rolled her eyes and floated out of the tangle of branches and leaves, making her presence known to the Nightmares.

Their attention snapped towards her, their golden eyes blazing. She metamorphosed back into her human form and mounted one of the Nightmares without hesitation.

_The Guardians would probably kill me if they knew where I was going. _Willow thought before whispering "Go!" into the Nightmare's ear. With a neigh, it galloped off south, to one of the darkest parts of the forest.

The dark horse ran on and on until it reached a cave that looked scary and shadowy enough to reach out with big black claws and take you away. Believe it or not, that's what it did.

A scrawny pair of clawed hands made from shadows extended from the mouth of the cave, plucking the glowing blue girl off the Nightmare's back and then grabbing the horses. They retracted back into the haunting gloom of the cavern and disappeared.

Willow felt the airy grasp of the shadow leave and she glanced around her dark surroundings. "What now?" she asked bitterly into the darkness.

"Please tell me you are not going to join _them, _dearest," a dark, British voice muttered.

"I told them that I would think about it. North gave me five days to decide," she said, glaring into the darkness.

"Think about it? _Think _about it?!" An enraged form appeared; he was tall, he had black hair and flickering golden eyes like the Nightmares he controlled. "Oh no, you will not think about it. You will—"

"I _will _think about it, no matter what you say!" Willow growled defensively. There was a pause.

"You are so much like your mother..." He slowly stepped in a circle around her, his hands massaging his temples. "And that means?"

"You are worth more than I ever thought." He smirked in the dark, his pale grey skin barely showing. "I could use you for many great purposes, you know. You are, after all, the—"

"Oh, shut up. I know you just want to get me on your side." Her blue glow flared, lighting up a bit of her surroundings, but it was still too dim of a light to be able to see.

"Now what would make you think that?" His voice sent shivers down her spine.

_You're cruel, a coward, a liar, and an awful person, _she thought. "I can tell when you're lying, and trying to convince me of something. It's not that hard."

"You little _brat!" _He spat.

Willow cringed at what he had called her and looked at the cold stone floor, which was cracked and had many unreadable etchings in the stone. They were most likely notes of what he was planning.

"I know my dad. He lies, is cruel to people, and doesn't care about anything," Willow whispered, a pang of sadness hitting her heart like an arrow in the middle of a bull's-eye. Her voice rose to a yell. "Not even his own daughter! All he want to do is _use _her!"

Her father stared in shock at his daughter's outburst, not sure what to make of it. Willow sent a sad glance to him before looking into the shadows. Finally, she snapped her fingers and vanished into thin air. He stared a couple moments at the place where she'd stood.

"Oh, what've you done, Pitch?" the man asked himself, shaking his head.

**Willow's home: **

Willow found herself back in her house—which was in a willow tree—on her soft, fur rug. Her small window was open, letting a chill enter the room. "What am I going to do..." she mumbled. "I don't really want to accept becoming a Guardian, then have to fight and be _against _my dad...but then I could join forces with him, and fight my friends..."

_Well, they aren't close friends...but I still care about them, _she thought.

The sunlight from the morning streamed through her window, making her yawn. A light breeze blew in through the window and circled around her. _Willow...a _voice whispered. _Do not be worried...the time will come for your decision. _

"But what do I do...?" she asked.

_If you choose one path, it leads to destruction and the fate of people close to you; if you choose another, it will lead to your destiny, but also chaos and sorrow...Choose wisely my dear... _

And the voice was gone.

Willow hugged her knees as she replayed the voice's words over and over in her head.

"Destruction and fate...but then my destiny and chaos and sorrow? How does that _help?" _she muttered. "I'll...I'll go see North tonight..." Then, she curled up on the rug and fell asleep.

**Afternoon: North Pole **

Jack Frost had finished his daily round of a snow day with Jamie and his friends. He was heading to the North Pole to ask North some questions.

"Ah, Jack!" North boomed, grinning widely. "What brings you here?"

Jack fiddled with his staff and sighed. "I'll get straight to the point. I want to know what happened to Willow," he said. "When she was chosen for the first time."

North's face turned serious. "That's not my story to tell, Jack," he said. "Come on! I'm dying to know," Jack protested.

"Jack, the only way you are going to hear it is if you can get Willow to tell you." North said. Jack sighed. "She made us promise never to tell, so I will not break that promise."

"Please?"

"No."

**Time skip: Nighttime: Willow's tree **

_Looks like I'm off to North's...Willow _thought. She left her tree and stepped into the chilly atmosphere. She looked left and right to see if anyone—travelers or lost humans, or even Nightmares—were watching. Without seeing anything, she leapt into the midnight sky as a blue streak, and headed towards the North Pole.

The yetis that guarded the entrance door spotted her, and one of them dashed inside, mumbling in his garbled language about something. He stood in front of two double doors, wondering if he should just knock or barge in. The second sounded better to him.

"Harbileghaly!" he exclaimed, bursting through the doors.

"Fred!" North grumbled. "How many times do I have to tell you to _knock?" _

"Warfhluaghertasdefu!"

"What? Willow? She's Back?" North got up from where he was sitting and pushed the yeti aside, walking towards the doors the guards had spotted her by.

Approaching the doors, he heard the voice of an angry yeti and a wisp.

"Come on! I have to see North!" she protested.

"Butyearglophyulapher!"

"Joe, you can let her come in," North said.

"Thank you!" Willow sighed, exasperated. The yeti grumbled and let her come through, and Fred resumed his post at the entrance.

"Now, Willow, what brings you here?" North asked.

"Well, you know my mom, right?"

"Yes, the amazing Mother Nature. What about her?"

"She came to me this morning, before I slept. She gave me a warning, about which path to choose." Willow said.

"Which path? Has Pitch been talking to you?"

Willow hesitated, playing with a strand of her coal black hair. _Should I tell him...? _she thought. _He could help me...so...yes. I will. _"I visited him last night. He wants me to join him because technically, I'm the Nightmare Princess. But the hard thing for me is...I can't fight _against _you guys. You're my friends," she explained, looking at her feet. "But I don't want to fight against my dad either...I know he's evil and all, but still, he means something to me."

North stroked his beard in thought. "I see what you are saying, Willow. What did your mother warn you about?"

"She said that if I choose one path, it'll lead to destruction and the fate of people close to me. But she said if I choose another path, it'll lead to my destiny but also chaos and sorrow. I don't see how what she said can help me."

"Willow, if I was in your shoes I would be as confused and worried as you are," He put a hand on her shoulder; She looked up at him. "The best thing you can do is hope that everything goes well whatever you do. Choose what you think is best."

Willow nodded. "Thanks, North." She gave a small smile. "I think...I think I should get going now...thanks again."

"Anytime, Willow." North waved goodbye as she opened the double entrance doors and leapt into the sky.

**Time Skip: 5 minutes **

Willow decided not to become a blue streak, as she couldn't think in that form. Her mind wandered off to her home back in the forest. She was about to hurry home, but a voice stopped her.

"Hey Wispy! Whatcha doin out so late?"

It was Jack Frost. Willow really didn't want to talk to him right now, and _why _did he call her the name she hated? She sighed and turned around.

"Hey Jack." She spotted him flying up to her level. "I'm out this late because it's my job."

"Oh. Right, 'cause you're—"

"Will-o-the-Wisp," she finished. "The one who leads people to their fate at the darkest of hours."

"Yeah..." He stuffed one of his hands in his navy blue hoodie pocket. "I know that we don't know each other very well, let alone very _long, _but I was wondering..."

"Yeah?" Willow was curious as to what the winter spirit would say.

"Why are people scared of you; like, what you do?" he asked. That question was one of the ones that the Guardians asked when she was first chosen. She remembered that day like it was yesterday.

"Well...since I lead people to their destiny, sometimes I put people in danger. One time a man was walking home, and I led him into the way of a bear. He ran for a long time, and cried out for me to help him. He was a good person, so I showed him the way home. Even if things end up all right, people are still afraid of me," she said.

"Isn't it sad for you to see people afraid?"

"No, not really. It's actually kind of fun since I can choose to make them happy again by leading them home. It's also fun to have people tell stories that include me in them."

"Oh. I see," he said. They stared at each other for a minute before it got a bit awkward.

"I'd..uh, better...go..." Willow said quietly.

"Oh, yeah! Sure...see ya." He gave a small wave before she dove down above the treetops and soon disappeared from sight.

Jack sighed. "Well, at least she doesn't think I'm annoying." He smirked and said, "Wind, take me to the North Pole!"

A sudden gush of wind blew Jack the way to the Pole. "WOOOOHOOO!" he whooped, doing acrobatic flips and twists in the air.

A couple seconds later, he reached the North Pole.

"Hey Joe, hey Fred," he said to the yetis when they opened the door for him. "North?"

"Jack, my boy!" North asked.

"Hi. Question."

"Yes?"

"Did Willow just come here? She was going home from something. I just saw her and we talked."

"Yes, yes she did! She was asking for advice on which path to choose!" North grinned, examining a toy ice sculpture.

"Path? What path?" Jack asked.

"Which side she was going to choose. It's a hard decision for her, you know." his voice switched from jolly and happy to a more sincere tone. He placed the ice etching on his work table.

"Which side? You mean Pitch is wanting her?" Jack asked, then scowled. "Pitch, Pitch, Pitch, why—"

"Jack," North interrupted. "Pitch is her father."


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi there everyone! I'm SO sorry for the late update! Life is kind of crazy right now, but I successfully finished this chapter in the midst of all the craziness! And, to all my AMAZING reviewers, I about jumped off my bed and started doing a happy dance I was so excited ! Thank you so much peoples! :) i hope you enjoy this chapter, and please review when you're done to tell me how you think the story is going! Thank you all again! **

**Okay, Im telling myself to stop talking. **

**Enjoy!**

Jack didn't believe what he just heard. "Pitch is her..._what_?!"

"Pitch is her father, and she's having a hard time because she is overwhelmed with choice."

"Pitch wants her on his side," Jack guessed immediately. He knew from experience how persuasive the Nightmare King could be; he himself had only just avoided the boogeyman's temptations back in Antarctica. "So," he continued slowly. "What, that's making it hard to choose?"

"That's part of it, Jack. She wants to be a guardian, but doesn't want to fight against her dad. But if she joins with her dad, then she'll be fighting against her friends, which are us." North explained.

Finally realizing what decision Willow was going through, Jack felt a bit sorry for her.

"Oh wow..." He leaned against his staff, North's words replaying themselves in his mind. "That makes a _lot_ more sense."

He wondered what it would be like to be the son of someone evil, with them tempting him to get onto their side, while he was friends with the good guys and they want him on their side, but he didn't want to be against either.

"Enough talking. You must get your rest, Jack," North said. Jack scowled.

"Do I really have to?"

"Yes, Jack. You do."

"But I'm a spirit. Spirits don't sleep," he pointed out.

"Jack." North looked down on him sternly.

"Please?"

"Jackson."

When North called him Jackson, Jack knew that it was time to stop. "Fine." he sighed and trudged up the stairs to his room.

Going inside, he shut the door a bit loudly, but you could hear the small click of the door being locked. He ran towards the window located at the other side of his room and opened it. "This is gonna keep me on the Naughty List for sure," He smirked, jumping off the railing and into the sky.

**Forest**:

A curious little girl stepped outside without her parents noticing. She giggled and ran towards the swarm of trees that lay before her. "Trees!" she squeaked, running farther and farther inside the dark forest.

Willow sat upon a tree branch, listening to the hooting of an owl and chirping of crickets. A small figure darted under her; and to Willow's surprise, it was a young child. "What are you doing out this late?" Willow asked quietly enough so the girl couldn't hear. Transforming into a small wisp, she followed the girl.

"Eek!" the girl squealed, hearing an owl's '_who_'. She glanced around, suddenly terrified of the dark shadows. Willow saw her scared expression and appeared in front of her. The girl gasped. "A wisp!" she breathed. Willow made a trail of her blue forms for the girl to follow back home. "Wispy, wispy wispy!" the girl chanted all the way home.

"Sleep tight little one." Willow smiled slightly, waiting till she disappeared from sight to evolve back into her human form.

"So you are still at it, I see," the chilling voice of Willow's father said. She tensed up, forcing herself not to turn around and explode.

"Well, it's my job, Dad. I gotta keep doing it," she said as calmly as possible.

"I've watched you, Willow. I know what your mother told you."

"So? That doesn't mean anything." _Why does he always come so suddenly?_ she thought.

"I also know you've been visiting the Guardians for advice. You went a while ago, and talked with Jack Frost on your way back." Pitch frowned. "That _wretched_ Jack Frost."

Willow swiveled around, furious. "He is not '_wretched_', he is a good person. And don't you dare talk about my friends that way!"

"Oh, so they're your friends now, are they?" He smirked.

"You know that I've always been friends with the Guardians." Willow crossed her arms and glared at Pitch. "Now will you please go? I have things to do."

"Oh yes, the _decision_. The one little decision that could change your life."

"Yes! Now go!" Willow was infuriated. "I don't want you around right now!"

"Oh but I have something to tell you, dearest."

"Not. Listening." With that, she disappeared in a puff of blue.

"That little...!" Pitch growled. "Why in the _world_ does she treat me that way?!"

A breeze blew through the trees, making the leaves rustle. A voice could barely be heard; it seemed to sound like the air talking in a whisper. _Maybe because you treat her rudely. You've called her a brat to her face and proved that you only want to use her if she joins you..._

"Preposterous!" he exclaimed, folding his arms and turning around, pretending to ignore the voice of his wife.

_If only you would listen..._the voice echoed, and soon, the place where he stood was dead silent.

"I _will_ get you to rule by my side, Willow! I can promise you that..." he muttered before he vanished into the shadows.

Looking side to side to see if the coast was clear, Willow emerged from behind one of the biggest trees in the forest. She sighed and sat down, leaning against the tree trunk. "Ugh...I hate my father so much...but it's like there's one part of me that still loves him." She brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them, wishing she had someone to talk to. "Why is my life so difficult?"

A rush of freezing wind passed through the forest; that didn't normally happen. Willow looked up curiously. "Anyone there?" she asked.

She brought herself up to a standing point and hid behind the tree she had been leaning against.

"Willow?" She heard a voice call. Who was it? "Willow? Where'd you go?"

She recognized Jack Frost's voice. What did he want? She had a fun idea pop into her head. As Jack's form appeared a couple trees in front of her, she changed into her small wisp form and snuck up behind him. Making the smallest noise possible, she said 'Hello Jack' in her airy language. Jack whirled around, startled. She waved at him.

"Aaaaagh!" He jumped back. Willow put her wisp hands on her hips. "Oh...hi Willow." She transformed back into her human self, a smirk on her face.

"Hi Jack."

"Uh.."

"What are you doing out so late?" she asked.

_"Well, _I kinda went to go talk to North after I saw you to see what was up...and—" frost swirled around his feet, and the air grew colder.

"Did he tell you?" Her eyes were wide.

"What happened when you were first chosen to be a Guardian? No. He said you wanted advice on which path to choose." Jack said.

"So you heard about that?" her voice saddened.

"He didn't tell me the whole conversation you two had, but I now kinda know what you're going through since Pitch is your father and all..." Jack explained.

"Yeah. It's a really hard decision. Did he tell you what my mom told me?"

"No." Jack's curiosity increased. "What did she say?"

"Well, it's another part of why the choice is hard. She said that if I choose one way, it'll lead to destruction and the fate of people close to me. If I choose the other, it will lead me to my destiny but also chaos and sorrow."

"Wow...if you don't mind me asking, who is your mom?"

"Mother Nature. That's why I live out here." she motioned to the trees around her. "I also live out here to get away from my dad...but then again he is always lurking in the shadows so he can find me anywhere."

"Truthfully, it's hard for me to believe that Pitch is your dad," Jack said.

"I know...when I first found out, I could hardly believe it." Willow said. "I mean, the Nightmare King and I are related..."

"Is it...is it hard for you to hate him because you still love him?" Jack asked.

Willow stared at Jack; how had he guessed so quickly? She nodded. "It also means that since I'm his daughter...I'm sort of the...the Nightmare Princess," Willow blurted. Jack's face looked shocked. "But don't worry! I've refused to be on his side and actually accept the title..." she assured him. He was silent.

"Why haven't you accepted? I mean, usually someone would take that power to rule really quickly," he said after a couple minutes.

"Well...um..I just sometimes don't like the stress of being a royal and stuff. And it would force me to learn how to control and create shadows, as well as stay with Pitch all the time."

"That's true."

"Wait, shhh..." Willow said quickly, looking around.

"Are you 'Shhhhing' me?" Jack asked sarcastically, crossing his arms.

"Yes!" she whisper -yelled. "Now be quiet!"

The leaves behind her crunched, and she could feel the tenseness of a human. "Stay still..." she whispered to Jack. He watched as she shrunk down into wisp form and followed the person.

"Where in the world am I? I shouldn't be here..." a boy muttered, rubbing his arms. "It's so cold out..."

"Where are you supposed to go?" Willow asked, making her presence known to the boy. He turned around.

"Wha—who?" He looked side to side, up, then down and spotted her. "Holy crap!" he jumped back, startled. "It's Will -o-the- Wisp!"

She nodded and waved at him to follow her.  
"N -no! I can't follow you!" he backed away, shielding his eyes.

Willow sighed, trying to figure out which method of hers she would use to get the boy to follow her back to his home.

"She knows the way!" Jack called, probably trying to help her out.

"What the heck? I'm hearing things!" the boy exclaimed. "Oh gosh, Trevor. This is probably a dream..."

"You aren't in a dream!" Jack called out again. "Willow knows the way!"

"Willow?" Trevor uncovered his eyes and glanced at her. He sighed. "I guess...I can try to follow you..." he reluctantly followed Willow as she led him out of the forest quite quickly. Soon after, he spotted the familiar street lights of his town and tall homes. "Wow. Thanks!" he said to Willow, unsure if she could hear him, but he said it anyways.

As Trevor ran off, Willow flew back to where she had left Jack and turned human once more. "Thanks for helping me back there," she said, avoiding Jack's gaze. "I could've done it without you though," she pointed out.

"Yeah, whatever. Sometimes you just gotta help a friend." Jack smirked.

Willow ran a hand through her ebony hair. "Yeah, I guess so." She thought back to when Jack had first come. "Wait, shouldn't you be in bed right now?"

Jack winced. "Ummmm..."

She knew that tone. She had heard it many times. "Jack. What did you do?" she asked in a motherly tone, her hands on her hips.

"I locked the door to my room after North said I should go to bed and escaped through the window," he blurted, flushing a light blue.

"Clever plan." Willow smirked. "But I would never do that."

"You are so weird," he muttered.

"So are you, pretty boy."

"Shut up,"

"You can't make me," she teased.

"I could if I wanted," Jack held up his staff as to suggest him freezing her.

"Yeah, I'd like to see you try. Then again, you'd probably chicken out and end up freezing yourself." Willow chuckled.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi there! I'm so sorry for the late update :P I've been working with my friend GuardianOfCourage471 on a series of ROTG oneshots that include funny pranks! You should go check it out(it's called "Shrimp, Steak, and Cheesecake". You can find it under my profile :3) Aaaaaaanyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter! :D**

Pitch Black paced back and forth in his shadowy hideout, trying to concentrate on completing his master plan; but his mind kept wandering back to his daughter, Will- o -the -Wisp.

He sat down on the dark, menacing seat that gave the throne room its name and pulled a small golden locket out of a side table drawer. Pitch hesitated to open it, truthfully, he was a bit scared to do it. Finally, he undid the clasp and gazed down at the picture inside, a picture he hadn't looked at in forever. A pang of guilt rushed through him as he saw Willow when she was very young and himself holding her tiny hand while looking at something above them.

He realized that he had grown more aggressive towards her as she grew up and had carelessly said some hurtful things to her.

I feel terrible, Pitch thought. But I shouldn't! The Nightmare King doesn't ever feel terrible about doing things! But then...why do I feel that way now? He shut the locket and tucked it away in one of his pockets before calling one of his shadows up to him and sending it into the night.

Jack had left and Willow was searching for something in her tree. She impatiently dug through her top dresser drawer and found what she was looking for. Hastily brushing the dirt off the frame, she lifted the old image out and brought it over to her rug. She sat down and stared sadly at the picture of her and Pitch, holding hands and gazing up at the sky.

She remembered the happy days that she spent with her father.

_"Daddy, come on!" She tugged at her father's sleeve._

_"Hold on, Sera!" Kozmotis chuckled, turning to his wife, Arabella. "We'll be back tomorrow,"_

_"Alright. Be safe, you two!" Arabella said, kissing him on the lips before hugging her young daughter._

_"We will!" Seraphina exclaimed. "Bye mama!"_

_Kozmotis slung a brown sack over his shoulder and led his daughter into the fields. They sang songs of their folklore, played games that they had made up, and talked about the things they were going to do. Their destination was a certain spot in their Moon Fields, where the moon that guarded their planet was right above them. Reaching the spot just before nightfall, they both sat down in the large clearing, spreading out their pillows and blankets that they had brought._

_The orange sky turned a salmon pink, and later the light was soon replaced with a midnight blue. Their Moon shone down on the two as they watched the sky fill with stars. Sera even spotted a couple shooting stars, and when she did, she wished that she and her father could always be together._

Willow had barely remembered her real name, let alone her father's name, Kozmotis Pitchiner. Once he left her to go fight in the war of the Golden Ages, he had given her a locket that held the same picture that was in her hands now.

_"Daddy's coming home?" Sera asked unbelievably, grasping the locket around her neck. Her mother nodded. "Daddy's coming home!"_

_The rest of the day she waited impatiently for her father to arrive home. He finally did, late at night._

_"Daddy!" Sera squealed as he walked in the door._

_"Sera! How's my little princess?" He set down his belongings and scooped her up into a big hug._

_"Kozmotis!" Sera's mother came rushing in._

_"It's so good to be back here with my family again..." Kozmotis said, planting a kiss on Sera's forehead, and then his wife's lips._

_Later that night, after Sera had been put to bed by her father, Kozmotis was with Arabella, talking._

_"They are only able to send me back here for a week," he said._

_"Only a week...? Why in the world do they need you back? Is the war still going?"_

_"No, my dear. I was the leader of our fighting force, and because of this I was chosen to guard the cell that the Fearlings and Nightmare men are going to be kept in," Kozmotis explained._

_Arabella swallowed. "How...how long will that be?"_  
_He hesitated before speaking the one word that broke Arabella's heart._

_"Forever."_

_Sera had forced herself to keep her eyes open to hear her parent's conversation. When she heard the last word, her whole world shattered._

Willow remembered that when she was transformed into Will -o -the Wisp, she remembered everything of her past, every detail. As she found her abilities to transform into different beings and fly, she searched for her father, Kozmotis Pitchiner. Soon, after finding many different spirits, including a friendly Dryad, they all explained that they didn't know a 'Kozmotis Pitchiner', but as she continued her travels, she kept hearing about this 'Pitch Black', a man who had similar characteriststics to her father. Willow sought out this man that might possibly be her father, and when they met, it was proved that they were family with the identical lockets that they wore. They told what had happened before getting transformed into the spirits that they were now, and stayed together until Willow was old enough to be on her own.

_I was so young back then...he cared for me until I could fend for myself, then started treating me like I was crap,_ she thought. _Maybe I should give him another chance..._

_Ugh..._Willow thought, sleepily sitting up and rubbing her eyes. _Why the heck are these memories and thoughts bugging me so much?_

She stood up and opened the door on her tree to the outside. What she found outside completely shocked her.

"Snow?" she asked to no one in particular. "I haven't seen snow i -in ages!"

Willow felt her childish side oozing out. She ran out into the white, fluffy, cold substance and picked up a handful. She instantly dropped it, as it was cold, and she hadn't felt cold like that since...well, since before she became a wisp!

"This is SO AWESOME!" she squealed, running around in a circle. "But wait! Why is there snow...in...spring?"

"Thought you'd never ask," the winter spirit's voice sounded behind her.

"Jack!" She spun around and saw him perched atop the crook of his staff. "What are you doing here?"

"Just wanted to check in on my favorite wisp," he chuckled.

"Your favorite?" Willow gasped dramatically. "So you mean there are more of me?"

"Uh..."

"Just kidding." She laughed.

"I didn't know you loved snow this much, though," Jack said.

"Yeah, well thats because I never told you, goofball," she teased. "I haven't seen snow in forever..."

"What do you mean by...forever?" Jack asked.

"Well...umm..this forest doesn't get snow—don't ask why because I have no idea—and I just haven't traveled around to see it much."

"That doesn't tell me when you last saw it though."

"Do I really have to say?"

"Well, I do want to know." Jack said.

"Why?"

"Because!"

"Because why?"

"Because." his persistence got to her.

"I haven't seen snow since I was Seraphina!" Willow instantly covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes wide. Jack looked shocked, as well as confused.

"Seraphina? Who was...I mean 'is'...Seraphina?" he asked softly, hopping down from his staff.

"Um..." Willow bit her lip. _I think it's time he knew a little more..._she thought. Taking a deep breath, she spoke. "Listen, my real name is Seraphina. Pitch's real name used to be Kozmotis Pitchiner. We lived on a planet up in space, as humans call it. We didn't call it space back then. We ran a small farm, with animals and plants. That's where I first saw snow, it was the same kind as all the stuff here."

"Wow." His eyebrows suddenly furrowed. "Then how are you here? I mean, like how are you a spirit now?"

"One day, my dad got called by someone he hadn't heard from in a long time. He ended up being called to go out into war to fight all the Nightmare Pirates, Fearlings, Nightmare men, and the horse Nightmares. The battle went on for a couple years...and finally, he was able to come home." Jack was listening intently, nodding every few seconds. "When he came home...my mom and I were overjoyed. But after I had gone to bed, I overheard them talking. Dad was only staying for a week, since he was chosen to guard the cell that all the Nightmares and Fearlings were kept in. I didn't mention the next day that I had heard them, I just pushed it to the back of my mind and enjoyed having my father home. At the end of the week, he told me himself that he had to leave. I cried for hours on end, and finally, I stopped. The last thing he gave me before he left was a locket, with our picture inside. I treasured that locked forever. About seven years later, my mother and I received a letter that seemed foreign. When we opened it, it said that the Nightmares and Fearlings had escaped and my father was missing. We never saw him again, until I became Will -o -the -Wisp. I think...Man in the Moon might've wanted me to finish something with my father...so he gave me and my mother another chance to live."

"Did the Moon ever tell you anything when you were revived?" he asked.

"I knew everything from the start. I knew my entire past, my name, my family's name. All he told me was, 'Find Kozmotis Pitchiner'. I knew it was my father that I was supposed to look for, and I asked many people––"

"People could SEE you?!"

"I actually think they were spirits...they introduced themselves as Autumn, Cupid, and another one was a...a..."

"A what?"

"A Dryad...his name was Daryn," she half whispered, thinking back to her crushed memories.

"A Dryad? I thought those things were extinct."

"Most people think that too, but, they aren't." She pushed those memories that she hated to think about away and thought of what to say next.

"So...the Dryad helped you out?"

"Yeah, Daryn ended up helping me find him, and once I did, I knew it was Kozmotis. Just the way his face was and stuff, I couldn't mistake it for anyone else. I actually found myself on earth one day when I woke up, and I was still young. Dad raised me until I was old enough to be on my own. I died then of a sickness and became Willow the Wisp, but then..." Willow's face scrunched up into a frown. "He just started treating me horribly..."

"Like, abusing you?" Jack's eyes widened.

"No!" she exclaimed. "Just verbally. And he made me leave someone I cared for very much..."

"Oh...that must've been awful. Words can hurt just as much..." he said.

"Yeah, they can." She sighed, twirling a piece of black hair around her finger. "Just a second..." she turned around and kneeled on the snow. Willow picked up a pile of the cold substance and formed it into a ball; she stood back up and turned around, hiding the ball behind her back.

"What are you up to?" Jack narrowed his eyes.

"Nothing." In a split second, she threw the snowball at his face and it exploded right where she intended it to go. Right smack dab in the middle of his forehead.

**Jack knows a lot more about Willow now, that's for sure! :P **

**I really hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please maybe do me a favor by reviewing? It makes my day! **

**I'm currently looking for a beta reader, so if you're interested in doing that for me, I'll be forever grateful and yeah! So PM me if you want the job ;) **

**AntarcticIcicle signing off!**


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